Lessons start October 30th!
Teachers are always on the lookout for great resources and ideas on how to integrate technology in their classroom, but rarely have the time to search for them. So, we’ve created Lunch Bag Lessons! Starting Monday, October 30th, and each Monday thereafter, this Web site will highlight a collection of short, easy to digest, online resources for teachers.
Although each week’s postings will be slightly different, teachers can expect to find resources in areas such as:
• technology-related articles and research;
• links to interactive Web activities or tools;
• teaching strategies supported by technology;
• online courses or tutorials; and
• virtual field trip opportunities…
… just to name a few! As each week’s materials are posted, the previous week will be archived and remain accessible for future reference.
Teachers will be able to add comments about any of the resources… what worked for them, how they modified and improved it, or they can share one of their own resources with others visiting the site.
We also know that teachers like to earn clock hours for their continuous improvement plans. To help them do this throughout the year, a companion Lunch Bag Lessons online course will be available. Teachers registering for the course will be expected to complete and submit an activity or project related to the weekly resource postings. A minimum of 6 activities will be required to qualify for clock hours and a maximum of 30 clock hours will be available for activities completed between October 30, 2006 and June 4, 2007.
When you have your lunch, feed your brain, too!
The Science of Cooking
There’s bacteria in your brioche and fungus in your french bread. Yum.
The Exploratorium’s Web site includes fun activities that revolve around food and cooking. You can “Ask the Inquisitive Cooks” questions, discuss ideas on the forums, or watch live Webcasts that explore the science and culture of cooking.
Visit the “Science of Cooking” Web site now!
Create a graph…online!
Use an interactive, online tool sponsored by the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES).
“Graphs and charts are great because they communicate information visually. For this reason, graphs are often used in newspapers, magazines and businesses around the world.
NCES constantly uses graphs and charts in their publications and on the web. Sometimes, complicated information is difficult to understand and needs an illustration. Graphs or charts 
can help impress people by getting your point across quickly and visually.
Here you will find five different graphs and charts for you to consider. Maybe it will help explain what you are trying to show. Use homework problems, things you have a special interest in, or use some of the numbers you find elsewhere on this site. Have fun!”
Visit the “Create a Graph” Web site now!
(Flash plug-in required; if you don’t already have it, get Flash now)
National Atlas
The National Atlas site, sponsored by the US Department of the Interior, provides tools to customize your own maps with a wide range of data for viewing and printing.
Any national atlas should provide a larger context within which to describe a nation’s people, places, and resources. To date, the National Atlas of the United States has focused on providing you with information about America. But in recent years we have partnered with atlas programs in Mexico and Canada to compile authoritative and reliable geographic information that covers North America. We have begun by collaboratively building “frameworks,” the essential map layers that provide a foundation for all other maps. These basic layers, including small-scale harmonized information on North American roads, water, boundaries and the like, are being offered here for the first time. Like all other raw data and documentation offered on nationalatlas.gov, these frameworks can be downloaded at no cost and used freely without copyright concerns or license restrictions. Revised elevation data and a new watersheds map layer will be our next North American frameworks releases.
Visit the National Atlas Web site now!
NewsHour Extra
Target grade levels: 7-12
Visit NewsHour Extra’s teacher and student resource site. Sponsored by PBS, NewsHour Extra provides integrated lesson plans that tie to current events and cross a wide range of content areas: arts, English, math, economics, the world, U.S. history and government, health, fitness, and media studies.
Want to build your students’ analytical thinking and critical analysis skills? Are you searching for ways to make your subject matter more relevant and engaging? NewsHour Extra is here to help!
In addition to text information, the site contains audio and video files, images, intriguing interviews, links to additional articles, handouts and teachers guides (as part of the lesson plans). In addition to the Teacher site, there is also a Student site with current event stories and the Daily Buzz (”The end of fishsticks?”). Get your students involved in the world!
Visit the NewsHour Extra Teacher site now!
Take a look at the NewsHour Extra Student site, too.
Surviving the Consumer Jungle
Target audience: Primarily grades 9-12, but some activities are fine for younger students.
Consumer Jungle is a web-based program that helps turn high school students into savvy consumers without putting them to sleep. There’s something for everyone. Students will discover a host of on-line games, and Teachers will find free classroom materials. There’s even something for Parents - a section filled with tips on how to help the young adults in their lives find their way safely through the real world. New to Consumer Jungle is our Consumer Awareness section which is filled with general tips and resources for consumers.
NOTE: This site’s resources require the Flash browser plug-in and the ability to download and open Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files. If you need assistance with any of these, check with your tech support staff.
Take a trip to the Conumer Jungle now!
Be sure to visit the Consumer Awareness section with activities for all ages.
MarcoPolo
MarcoPolo: Internet Content for the Classroom is a nonprofit consortium of premier national and international education organizations and the Verizon Foundation dedicated to providing the highest quality Internet content and professional development to teachers and students throughout the United States. MarcoPolo was first launched in 1997 as a collection of standards-based, discipline-specific educational Web sites for K-12 teachers.MarcoPolo content partners have produced seven discipline-specific, standards-based Web sites geared primarily toward K-12 teachers and students. The content partners and their MarcoPolo Web sites are as follows.
- ArtsEdge: John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
- EconEdLink: National Council on Economic Educatio
- EDSITEment: National Endowment for the Humanities
- Illuminations: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
- read•write•think: International Reading Association & National Council of Teachers of English
- Science NetLinks: American Association for the Advancement of Science
- Xpeditions: National Geographic Society
Visit MarcoPolo: Internet content for the classroom now!
Be sure to visit the MarcoPolo Teacher Resources, too.
Be a History Detective!
The History Detectives Web site is based on PBS’s television program of the same name. There is an adult site which is appropriate for middle and high school students, as well as a History Detectives Kids site geared toward the elementary level.
History Detectives is devoted to exploring the complexities of historical mysteries, searching out the facts, myths and conundrums that connect local folklore, family legends and interesting objects.
Traditional investigative techniques, modern technologies, and plenty of legwork are the tools the History Detectives team of experts uses to give new - and sometimes shocking - insights into our national history.
Remember, history is only the surface subject here and the resources can be used in several curricular areas! There is information on DNA, paper and textile analysis, timber dating, and a historical scene investigator that uses Google earth views for geographical identification.
NOTE: Because this site is based on the PBS television series, the main site contains a library of videos that require the Real Media Player and a fast Internet connection in order to view them.
Visit the History Detectives main site and check out the educator resources, too. If you’re an elementary educator, explore the History Detective Kids site and educator resources for younger students.
What about weather?
This site is most appropriate for elementary levels, although the information can be applied to all grades.
The weather is all around us and most classsrooms study various aspects of it. The Web Weather for Kids site provides information and activities related to thunderstorms, tornadoes blizzards, hurricanes and clouds. There are activities, experiments, a glossary, weather symbols, safety resources and even a chance to try your hand at forecasting!
This Web site is made possible by UCAR, Friends of UCAR, Boulder Valley School District, Science Discovery, who were the winning team members in the AAAS Public Science Day 2000, and supported by an NSF grant.
Visit Web Weather for Kids and explore the resources available.
Take a look at the Teacher Tips, based on actual classroom experiences.
Collaborate on a Writeboard
This resource can be used for teacher-to-teacher, teacher-to-student* or student-to-student* collaboration, as well as by individuals who want an easy way to track changes in a work-in-progress.
Writeboards are sharable, web-based text documents that let you save every edit, roll back to any version, and easily compare changes. Use Writeboard to write solo or collaborate with others.
Unlike a Word document that’s stored at school or home on one computer, you can get to your writeboards from any computer in the world with an internet connection and a modern web browser.
And basic Writeboards are FREE! All you need is an email account to get one started. For anyone wanting to add pictures or upload files, there is a monthly subscription option available. When visiting the site, be sure to view the “Take a tour” summary, too.
Visit the Writeboard site to see what online collaboration is all about. Then create a Writeboard and begin collaborating on a document!
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* The terms of use policy for this site does not allow use by anyone under the age of 13 because they collect email information. Please be sure to read the site’s Terms of Use notice before using it with students.
